


Ari-Kata

by Maybethings



Series: May Be Promptin' [100]
Category: Dragon Age
Genre: Chess, Drabble, Gen, Prompt Fic, Qun, Qunari
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-30
Updated: 2012-03-30
Packaged: 2017-11-04 01:01:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/387930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maybethings/pseuds/Maybethings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arishok versus Teyrn Loghain. Playing chess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ari-Kata

“You play a losing game,” says the Arishok without taking his eyes from the chequered board. The bas warrior has picked up the rules of shataar with surprising speed, even able to concoct a few strategies and gambits of his own—but he still has far to go.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Loghain says, his eyes on the strange, Qunari-carved king, queen, and…he’s not sure what the third piece is. He just knows it’s as important as the other two.

“Your men.” The Arishok gestures at the stylised wooden pieces, _karasaad_ and _vaarad_ and _saarebas_ alike, scattered across the field. “You push them too far one minute, group them too tightly the next. Your strategy is inconsistent. To what purpose?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he replies shortly, moving a piece forward, “as long as it protects the King. Check.” The teyrn looks up. “Or as you say it, _teth a_.”

The Arishok leans back, surveying the battlefield like it is flesh and blood, not wood and ivory. Then he deftly shifts a piece forward, knocking Loghain’s saarebas off the board. “ _Ari-kata_ ,” he intones.

Loghain grimaces. “I should have seen that Sten coming.”


End file.
